Putting It All Together

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to Fiber: Its Importance In Your Diet.

• Fiber is a special type of carbohydrate that passes through the human digestive system virtually unchanged, without being broken down into nutrients.

• Fiber has a positive influence on the digestion process from start to finish.

• Fiber is found only in food that come from plants, including all-natural cereals, whole-grain breads, beans, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

• A good diet should contain approximately 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, but the average American eats less than half of that.

• When incorporating more fiber in your diet, it's best to start slowly and to eat a wide variety of fiber-rich foods, since different types of fiber do different jobs in the body.

• Fiber helps relieve constipation and hemorrhoids, can help keep weight under control, and can help prevent certain diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, diverticular disease, gallstones, and kidney stones.